


#BonAnniversairePrincess

by Lady_Lombax



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chat Noir To The Rescue, Chat has instagram, Chloe is a bitch, F/M, Inspired By Tumblr, It's Marinette's Birthday!, and is not afraid to use it, but what else is new, more Marichat!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-25 21:11:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6210256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Lombax/pseuds/Lady_Lombax
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Chloe aims to ruin Marinette's birthday, Chat Noir makes other plans for his favourite Princess.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It's My Birthday and I'll Cry If I Want To

**Author's Note:**

  * For [JazzGirl123](https://archiveofourown.org/users/JazzGirl123/gifts).



> I was supposed to finish my Ladrien (Stepping into the Light) fic first but I couldn't wait. 
> 
> This one goes out to [jazztastic-panda](http://jazztastic-panda.tumblr.com/) who had this [amazing idea!](http://jazztastic-panda.tumblr.com/post/133307910289/ahhhhhh-what-if-marinette-and-chloe-share-the-same)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette is her usual self-sacrificing self on her birthday and Chat decides that this particular Princess isn't going to be alone on her special day.

One would think that the average seventeenth birthday of a young woman would have her surrounded by family, friends and a generally happy atmosphere. Typically, this would have been the type of birthday Marinette should have been enjoying.

Instead, she was sitting on her balcony, a fuzzy pink blanket draped over her legs and knees tucked up to her chest. Tears burned in the corner of her eyes as she stared blankly over the Paris skyline. Tikki had tried to cheer her up to no avail. Instead, the Kwami was now snoozing within Marinette's room while the birthday girl curled up in her deckchair. 

Originally, Marinette had planned for a simple party with her class and family. She had been planning it for a while and had discussed it at length with Alya. She didn't tell anyone just yet since it was obvious that only Alya who had realised that her birthday was drawing near.

Then Chloé had decided she wanted to have a party. Set to be the event of the year, Jagged Stone was to perform and a few other celebrities were rumoured to be attending as well. It was to officially celebrate the end of school, but Marinette had seen the smug look directed at her on Chloé's face. Chloé had remembered her birthday and she knew that Marinette wished to celebrate it with everyone. Everyone in the class had started to gossip excitedly, leaving Marinette to silently cancel her own party.

As the day approached, Chloé had mailed out invitations, stating that anyone not on the list wouldn't be allowed in. Of course, Marinette hadn't received one. 

Marinette didn't mention the snub nor the fact it was the day of her birthday to her friends. She told Alya, Nino and Adrien that she hadn't planned on going since she was going to spend the night with her parents instead. The designer had smiled sweetly and encouraged her friends to go and enjoy themselves.

Chloé's cruel plot didn't stop there. The spoiled girl had hired Marinette's parents to do some of the catering for the party causing them to become so busy that it would mean they would have to spend the entire day preparing for it. The order was large but would bring in a lot of revenue and exposure for the bakery. It was a good thing for the business so Marinette kept quiet and waved her parent's apologies off, stating she would hang out with Alya for the night. The designer was sure that her best friend wouldn't mind skipping the party to celebrate with her.

The worst and final blow had occurred when Chloé had been overheard bragging loudly the day before the party and before Marinette could ask Alya to hang out that night that she was also inviting Ladybug and Chat Noir to the celebration as well and that they were bound to show up since she and Ladybug were such good friends, leaving no doubt in Marinette's mind that Alya and the boys would definitely want to attend when all three started chatting excitedly between them. She couldn't tell anyone that Ladybug wasn't going to go because it would mean putting her identity at risk.

Marinette didn't tell Alya about the huge order that would leave her home alone. 

Her parents assumed that Marinette would go to Alya's home after they left. 

This left the dark haired girl sitting on her balcony, alone and miserable on her seventeenth birthday. A crack interrupted Marinette's thoughts. A single wave of fireworks in the six o'clock evening sky announced the beginning of the party and Marinette's resolve broke.

Tears rolled down her cheeks and she pressed her forehead to her knees, arms wrapping around her body. The force of the sobs jolted her body and she bit her blanket in an attempt to keep quiet as to not awaken Tikki. Tiny whimpers still escaped her mouth.

She should have told someone. She didn't want to be alone on her birthday but she also didn't want to ruin anything for anyone. 

_'Why did Chloé have to do this to me? I wish Alya and my parents were here.'_

So caught up in her thoughts, Marinette failed to notice the quiet thump of black boots landing next to her.

"Princess?"

Marinette snapped her head up, dropping the blanket and faced the worried green eyes of Chat Noir. He had a hand hovering respectfully by her shoulder and his lips were pressed together. The hero was crouched next to her, tail twitching and curled around his ankles. 

Marinette suddenly grabbed the blanket, using it to remove the evidence of the tears that still streamed down her cheeks. Having Chat Noir find her crying on her balcony was something she never thought would happen. She bent her head down, staring at her lap.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were going to the party." Marinette's words felt sluggish and her tongue seemed to weigh a ton. She sniffed and rubbed a hand under her nose when a tissue appeared in her vision. She took it with a quiet word of thanks.

"Never got the invite. Well, I did but, Ladybug hasn't shown either and both sides of this cat didn't feel like being put on display. What about you? Why are you up here instead of enjoying yourself?" Chat scooted closer to her seat. "What happened Princess?"

Marinette let out a single bitter laugh. "I wasn't invited at all. Chloé doesn't like me. She invited everyone else so there's no one for me to hang out with and she made a huge order from the bakery so my parents were busy all day and I didn't want to ruin it for anyone so I just kept quiet." The tears started up again. She looked out over the skyline and shook her head, muttering bitterly under her breath. "Some birthday today was."

She felt Chat flinch next to her. "It's your birthday? Marinette, you're way more important that any party! Surely your friends think the same!" 

Marinette shrugged. "They got really excited for the party and I didn't want to have to make them choose." She curled in on herself. "I was going to treat myself out to dinner but, dinner on my own... I didn't really feel up to it after Chloé sent me a message say she _'wished I was there_ '. I shouldn't let her get to me but, it was the last thing I needed today." Marinette sniffed, not noticing the tense form of Chat next to her. 

His face was blank, his eyes slowly gaining a bright mischievous look to them as an idea slowly came together in his mind. "Hey, Princess? You got any fancy evening dresses you could wear out? And would you mind if I posted some pictures on my Instagram?" He tapped his chin, pieces of the plan falling into place as if it had been there the whole time.

Marinette turned her head and blinked at him with watery eyes. "I have one dress I've been meaning to try out and I don't mind about the pictures. Why?"

Chat grinned widely at her. He stood, took her hands gently in his own and tugged her up. "Go get cleaned up and put that dress on. I'll have to make some calls but think you can be ready in an hour?" The roguish grin on his face was offset by the gentle gleam in his eyes. 

Marinette swallowed. 

_'Oh, what's the worst that could happen? It's not like I've got anything to lose.'_

"Yeah, I can be ready by then." Blue eyes narrowed. "Chat, what are you planning?"

Chat merely winked at her, bringing her hands upwards to press a smiling kiss on them gently. "You'll see. I'll pick you up in an hour after I make some calls. Dress nice!" He drew away from her quickly and slipped over the balcony, leaping onto the closest rooftop and out of sight.

Marinette shook her head lightly, raising her eyebrows in confusion. "Guess I better go get ready then."

An hour later, Marinette stood in her room, freshly showered and dried. Her hair was shiny with a small amount of glitter sprayed in and pinned back into an elegant bun held in place by a set of gold hairpins with jade flowers on the end that she had been given by her _Lǎolao_ had given her for her fifteenth birthday. Her makeup was simple and light but for her lips which were a dark red. Her shoes were black high heeled sandals with three small flowers at the ankle. Marinette grabbed a black purse, big enough for Tikki and her cookies, and glanced at herself in the mirror.

_'This has to be one of my best dresses yet!'_

Starting in a mandarin collar, dark green sheer fabric with small black flowers clung to her shoulders and upper biceps. It opened up below the nape of the neck, leaving her back bare to just above her hips. In the front, the chiffon stopped where it connected to the sweetheart neckline which was outlined with the flowers. The dress turned to shimmering green satin that fell to her feet. The dress had a thin black ribbon with a neat flower shaped bow on her left hip that held up a lightly glittering black layer of satin above the skirt. It had a slit running up the left side under the bow, letting the green underskirt peek out when she walked. The end result was sleek and elegant with a hint of Marinette flair that sparkled when it caught the light. 

Marinette nodded in satisfaction. She turned and made her way through the house, draping a plain green shawl around her. 

_'It's amazing what a change of clothes can do for your mood. Now, keys? Check. Tikki and cookies? Check. Phone? Check. Purse? Check. I think I have everything.'_

Marinette smiled at Tikki before snapping the purse shut and double checking the bakery doors. A knock at the side door caused the teen to turn towards it. Marinette had no idea what to expect when she opened the door. A loveliness of ladybugs seemed to have made their home in her stomach. She took a deep breath as the door fully swung open.

Chat Noir turned to face her, took one look at her and felt his jaw drop open. "Whoa."

_’She...She.. Wow. She looks really pretty in my colours.'_

Marinette bit her lip and looked down, patting at the skirt self-consciously. "Do I look ok?"

An awestruck grin took over his face and he held out a hand for Marinette to take. She let him press his lips to her knuckles softly before dropping her hand. "I can honestly say you look incredible, Princess."

Marinette couldn't suppress the giggle that slipped through the hand that was pressed to her lips. "You look good too. I like the bell."

Chat was dressed in a black English-cut suit with a simple black shirt underneath and shiny black shoes. His tail peeked out from under his jacket between the two vents and he had his usual gold bell attached with a green string tie. Clawed gloves were still on his hands though they lacked his usual wrist guards. The leather ears and distinctive mask topped off the whole look. It seemed Chat had even attempted to tidy his hair though it still remained as unruly as ever. 

The blonde hero beamed at the dark haired designer. "What would a cat be without his bell?" He offered his arm.

Marinette let out a burst of giggles as she linked her arm with his. "Quieter for starters." The betrayed look on Chat's face sent Marinette into pearls of laughter.

Chat tried to keep the pout on his face for a few more moments before breaking out into his own grin. Slipping a hand under the jacket, Chat pulled out his baton and flicked open the communication setting. The quiet click of the camera brought Marinette out of her giggle fit and she sent Chat a confused look. The hero merely grinned wider and held up the baton better as he stepped away from her to get a full view of her dress.

"Smile Princess!" Marinette smiled shyly at him and the camera clicked once more. "Purr-fect!" 

The designer groaned at the pun, rolling her eyes. "Really Chat?"

Chuckling lowly, Chat stepped back up to Marinette's side and showed her the picture. The low light of the outside lamp gave Marinette an alluring look as if she truly was the Princess Chat proclaimed her to be. When Marinette smiled softly, Chat held up the baton, camera facing the duo.

"And a selfie for the road, Princess?"

Marinette grinned widely and tucked herself next to hero who gently wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Another click of the camera and the two looked at the photo, deeming it acceptable.

Chat began tapping on the communicator, bring up his official ' _Chat Noir_ ' Instagram account. A few months ago, on a whim, Chat had signed up for the app, snapping photos of the heroic duo in their quieter moments and posting them to the adoring public's joy. Ladybug had merely rolled her eyes and humoured her partner whenever he started taking photos. His personal favourite was one he'd gotten of Ladybug, captured on the Effiel Tower at sunset. The _#MyLady_ was Chat's most commonly used hashtag but tonight, Chat intended to get a new hashtag trending. 

The photos ready, Chat turned to Marinette and looked at her seriously. "Are you sure you don't mind me posting these, Princess?"

Marinette shook her head. "I'm sure but I got to ask. Why?"

Chat showed her the photos once he had posted them.

The first was of the skyline of Paris, the evening sky a gorgeous lavender that made the shadows of the rooftops seem darker than they truly were. Underneath was the caption _'No sign of #MyLady tonight. Maybe someone else can entertain this stray cat... #BonAnniversairePrincess!'_

The second photo was of Marinette, smiling shyly at the camera with the description: _'Me-wow! Instead of a Ladybug, I found a lonely Princess instead! And it's her birthday too! This sim-purr-ly won't do! Say Happy Birthday #Paris! #BonAnniversairePrincess!'_

Marinette turned her head to Chat. "Are you really intending to take photos all night and post them for all Paris to see?" A small smile was creeping across her face as she realised exactly what Chat intended to do.

The hero smirked at his Princess. "What better way to spend your night? You get a surprise night out with a hero and everyone at that silly party becomes really jealous. Win-Win!"

It was rather mean but Marinette couldn't bring herself to care as she checked out the other two photos Chat posted.

The third photo was of her mid-laugh from the side. She had to admit it was a good one. A delicate hand hovered just before her face, hinting at the darkened lips and white teeth. Blues eyes were closed but the sheer joy was plain to see. _'When in the presence of such stunning royalty, never set yourself up for a witty comeback. #BonAnniversairePrincess! #PrincessGotJokes #DidYouHaveToBringTheBellIntoIt?'_ Marinette blushed lightly and prayed the low light would cover it, forgetting that the cat-like hero had perfect vision regardless of lighting.

The final picture was the selfie of herself and Chat. Both had wide, mischievous grins and you could almost feel the anticipation for the night ahead between them. Chat's arm was wrapped protectively around her shoulders but gave an air of two friends ready to have a good time. _'Doesn't this cat look Paw-some and isn't the Princess looking amazing! Keep a lookout #Paris, I have loads of plans to make this birthday one to remember for the wonderful Princess! She has no idea what I have planned for her. Shh! Also, shout out to Chloé Bourgeois for making this night paw-_ sible _. Hi, Chloé! #BonAnniversairePrincess!'_

Letting out a burst of disbelieving laughter tinged with hysteria, Marinette stared at the description on the final photo. "I can't believe you put that! Chloé is going to be furious!"

The thought of Chloè's fury sent Marinette into another fit of laughter.

Chat looped his arm around the laughing designer's waist and escorted her to the curb. "Well, you can't really blame me. I know she is a handful and I figured it really is thanks to her that I get the honour of your company tonight. " They turned the corner to the front of the bakery and Marinette let out a gasp.

A sleek black limousine sat idle with the chauffeur standing ready with a door open for them. An elegant logo on the man's uniform showed him to be a part of _Le Sansnom Transporteurs_ , one of the best limousine companies in Paris. They boasted some of the best interior comfort and best services. They were also extremely expensive and very exclusive.

"Chat." Marinette was breathless. "You didn't...This is too much."

Chat grinned at the stunned look on her face. "I pulled some strings. The owner owes me a favour so we have Matheo here as our driver for some of the night. He will be escorting us to our first destination." He urged her forwards.

Matheo was a tall, older gentleman with a genial disposition and bowed slightly as Marinette approached. "Good evening _Mademoiselle_. _Monsieur_ Noir has arranged everything so please don't worry about a thing. Bon Anniversaire!" He gave the girl a gentle smile and gestured for her to make her way into the car.

Marinette smiled shyly back, blinking back tears. This was so much more than what she was expecting of this night. "Thank you." Ducking into the vehicle, Marinette seated herself into the elegant leather seats, Chat slipping in behind her. 

The black and gold interior of the Limo was sleek, posh and felt like a dream. Marinette took it all in with wide eyes and faced Chat who had a cocky grin on his face as the limousine pulled away from the curb.

"Are you sure I haven't just passed out on my balcony? 'Cause this doesn't feel real."

Chat's grin softened and he slipped his gloved hand into Marinette's own, squeezing it in support.

"Marinette, I promise that this is real." The hero pulled out his communicator once more, snapped a few more photos of Marinette before the two picked a favourite to post.  
The image showed Marinette seated gracefully in the leather seats, an excited smile on her lips. ' _Such beauty and grace! Can't wait to see her face when we arrive for our dinner plans! #BonAnniversairePrincess! #Isn'tShePretty? #TravellingInStyle'_

Marinette bit her lip lightly and glanced at Chat out of the corner of her eye as a thought came to her. "You haven't told me where we're going."

Chat merely grinned. "No. I haven't."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lǎolao is one of the Chinese names for [Maternal] Grandmother.


	2. Stay With Me, Sway With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat escorts his Princess to dinner and an impromptu dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know that in France, most people don't start to have dinner until about 8 pm and dining out can take up to 3-4 hours due to the amount of courses (commonly 5-6) served? I didn't. Therefore, all dishes described are actual French cuisine.
> 
> [This](https://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fs-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F10%2Ff2%2F2b%2F10f22b072cb319e0e7cedb0a79dbc4f4.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F224546731390741168%2F&docid=U4XusqWUI0Y65M&tbnid=Oae8pQt2sj89SM%3A&w=600&h=397&ei=vADtVtv2EeesmAW-5ZqwBQ) is what I mostly envisioned for the dessert. (It looks really good!)
> 
> [This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQA5Fnher3o) is what I used for the music mentioned in the last bit.

Marinette spent twenty minutes poking and prodding at the cat-like hero for any hints as to where he was taking her to dinner before giving up and mock pouting in her seat. Chat merely laughed at her.  
  


_'Trust this crazy cat to whisk me away to who knows where.'_

  
Marinette was just about to begin her prodding once more when the limo pulled to a stop.

  
" _Monsieur_ Noir, _Mademoiselle_. We have arrived." Matheo exited his seat and moved to open the door for the two passengers. The pristine door swung open. The birthday girl stepped out first. Her jaw dropped as she noticed the immaculate building of the restaurant they had stopped in front of.

  
"This is _Le Courtier_. They have a _three-month_ waiting list to even be _considered_ for a table." Marinette's voice was breathless and disbelieving as she took in the elegant gold and white exterior of one of the best five-star restaurants in Paris. It was a place where dignitaries and celebrities often dined. It had once even boasted a visit from the English Royal family a few years back. It was also so far out of Marinette's price range, she was surprised she was even allowed to step one foot onto the plush burnt gold carpet that led to the glass door.

  
Chat appeared at her shoulder, very much looking like the cat that got the canary, the cream and the milk too.  "A few weeks back, most of the restaurant was attacked by an Akuma. LB and I managed to get everything sorted out before one of their major clients arrived so as thanks, the management said there would always be a table available for us. Apparently one of their best was free tonight." He offered his arm to the stunned teenager.

  
Marinette remembered the Akuma. The victim had been an overworked waiter who had accidentally spilt wine over a pretentious patron and had been insulted so badly that he had burst into tears; the perfect target for one of Hawkmoth's Akuma. Fortunately, both herself and Chat had managed to wrap thing up fairly quickly with a well-placed 'Lucky Charm' so she had to leave almost immediately afterwards. Chat had vaguely mentioned the offer that night on patrol.

  
Shaking her mind free of her thoughts, Marinette absently linked her arm with her companion's and allowed him to escort her inside.

  
The two were met at the door by a short, smiling woman who had bright eyes and her hair tied back into a severe bun with a tall, slim dark haired man by her side. Her name was Camille judging from the elegant bronze script embroidered upon her black waistcoat."Bonjour _Monsieur_ Noir! Welcome to _Le Courtier_! Your table is up in _Les Balcons_ , one of our best with a lovely view of the gardens behind the building. This beautiful young woman must be the birthday girl. We managed to throw up a few little decorations to make it a bit more festive at your request." She winked at Marinette who smiled shyly back. Gesturing to her left, Camille introduced the man as Léon who escorted them up several stairs and through a door which led to the most beautiful dining area Marinette had ever stepped foot in.

  
One side of the area was carpeted in bronze with a small table for two next to a barrier made of curling black metal. The barrier let the patrons look out over the square dancing area of the restaurant below them and  a small string quartet played slow waltzes. Large velvet drapes hung down from the ceiling against the pale walls, dotted with fairy lights. The other side of the room was intricate smooth tiles that led to a wide open balcony, providing a breathtaking view of Jardins du Trocadéro. Small  fairy lights and bronze chiffon were entwined into the exterior balcony. The space was intimate, elegant and caused tears to well up in Marinette's eyes.

  
"Chat... _Thank you_."

  
Chat grinned at his companion and gently urged her forward towards the table. "Yeah, I'm awesome."

  
Marinette let out a giggle as she recalled the words she had tossed at him during the Evillustrator incident and allowed Léon to pull out her dining chair for her to sit, thanking him in the process.

  
As Chat seated himself, Léon pulled a small notebook from his black apron and addressed Marinette. "Monsieur Noir took it upon himself to order dinner ahead for the both of you. For _L'Entrée_ , we have the Yellow Morels stuffed with sweetbread and cured ham. The juice is flavoured with _vin jaune_ with a watercress foam over the top. Next is the seared Turbot fish with a tarragon zabaglione sauce and sautéed spinach leaves with ginger and pine nuts. For _Le plat principal_ is pork perfumed with salty butter and black truffle with a side of hand-mashed potatoes and a garden salad. We then have a traditional selection of fine cheeses with freshly baked bread and finally, a chocolate sorbet infused with lemongrass on top of a wafer for dessert. Would you like to order some drinks to be brought out with entrée?"

  
Marinette beamed at the waiter as she draped the white napkin across her lap. "That all sounds wonderful. Could I just have a glass of lemon water please?" She glanced around, still in awe of the graceful surroundings as Chat placed his own drink order and Léon left the two. Marinette glanced over the barrier next to her and watched an older couple slowly dance to the orchestral music that rang out across the quiet room.

  
"That part of the restaurant is _La Salle D'Audience_. It's mostly for parties like weddings or for conferences. It's why there is a dance floor."

  
Chat's explanation drew Marinette's blue eyes back to her companion. A smile crossed her lips and a curious tilt of the head invited Chat to continue his explanation as he almost sprawled elegantly in his seat.

  
"The other part is called _La Grande Salle_ where most of the diners go. It's the more traditional section of the restaurant." Chat gestured lazily with a hand to the area around them. "We, however, are in _Les Balcons_ like Camille said earlier. They are designed for privacy and elegance with a great interior and exterior view. Not many people are lucky enough to get one." Chat winked at his friend and pulled out the baton again. "Say 'cheese'!"

  
The picture showed Marinette smiling happily behind a white tablecloth patterned in bronze with four candles and a basket of bread acting as a centrepiece. The soft candle light illuminated Marinette's face and the twinkling fairy lights in the dark background added to the mystique of the atmosphere. _'Here we are at #LeCoutier! I wish I had captured the moment we arrived. The Princess had the best look on her face. (I may be in trouble for spoiling her but having dinner with such an amazing girl is worth it!) #BonAnniversairePrincess #Dinner #IWillSpoilYouAndYouWillLikeIt'_

  
Marinette giggled behind her hand and scolded Chat playfully as the entrée and drinks arrived.

  
The hour flew past quickly as the conversation flowed between the two easily. Marinette spoke of her desires for the future while Chat offered titbits of information for his own pursuits. Sass, puns, laughter and smiles entwined themselves in the words.  Before either of them knew it, the cheese and bread course was being cleared away by Léon and a second waiter named Hugo and replaced by the chocolate sorbet. Marinette blinked down at the small chocolate scoop that sat within a larger chocolate half sphere that had holes in it. Seated delicately on top of the sorbet was a single curl of chocolate while a thin wafer sat under it. It looked like a small edible work of art.

  
Marinette leaned forward. "This looks so good, I almost don't want to eat it." Her voice was hushed and awed. All of the food had been presented beautifully and each bite had been delicious but the dessert looked especially devine. "Hand over your baton. I want a photo of this."

  
Chat raised an eyebrow, obviously having had no qualms about digging into his own sorbet as a fourth of the cold confection was already gone, and handed over the multi-purpose stick. Marinette clicked the device twice at the dessert then let out a quick "Hey Chat!" and snapped a photo of Chat mid-bite. Giggling madly, Marinette typed up and posted both photos before showing Chat.

  
The first photo was of the dessert, taken so the elegant display was the only thing shown _. 'Bonjour #Paris, Princess here. Dessert at #LeCourtier almost looks too good to eat!... #PrincessInControl #Yum #BonAnniversairePrincess #Dessert'_

  
The second photo was wide-eyed Chat, caught off guard and a full spoon of sorbet hovering just before his lips _. '...Though I think a certain Kitty Cat thinks otherwise. #PrincessInControl #SoElegant #HeIsBeautyHeIsGrace #BonAnniversairePrincess #SillyKitty'_

  
"Princess!" Chat's voice was full of scandal and betrayal.

  
Marinette pressed a hand to her lips and laughed.  
  


* * *

Once Chat stopped pouting and the sweet dish consumed, the two companions sat and listened to the gentle tones of the string quartet echoing up into _Les Balcons_ over the low murmur of conversation in the rest of the rooms which had slowly grown louder over the past hour as more patrons arrived at _Le Courtier_. The song ended on a high note and a new one began that Marinette recognised. She hummed along to the waltz, swaying in time with the violin.

  
A movement to her left and Marinette turned to see Chat standing with one hand out in invitation. Without hesitation, the birthday girl placed a delicate hand in the hero's and allowed herself to be escorted onto their private dance floor and into a basic waltz position. They waited for a beat before gliding across the tiles, each step sure and graceful.

  
Chat led.

  
"I didn't know you knew how to waltz Chat."

  
Marinette followed.

  
"Believe or not Princess, I actually have a pedigree. I've known how to do this since I was just a kitten."

  
Chat spun Marinette around, slowed for a beat then continued on their path.

  
"Just full of surprises tonight, aren't we Chat?"

  
Another slow step.

  
"I'm not the only one. Been holding out on everyone, Princess?"

  
Two quick gliding steps.

  
"This is three years of dance practice. It did nothing for my day-to-day grace, though."

  
The back over-skirt twirled out dramatically, the green flashing in the low light.

  
"I wouldn't say that."

  
His voice was low and gentle as was the look in his eyes.

  
"Charmer."

  
Her voice and lips were full of tease but her cheeks were dusted with red.

  
The music crescendo then played its final bars with a flourish, leaving Marinette and Chat breathing deeply from the impromptu dance.

  
The sound of a throat being cleared made the duo draw apart. A shiver went through Marinette as she realised how warm Chat's embrace was and how cold she felt now he had let go.

_  
'I wish the music had lasted longer.'_

  
The thought was but a split second before being swept to the back of Marinette's mind and locked away with other such thoughts that had popped up over the course of her relationship with Chat Noir. (She refused to notice that they had been popping up more and more in recent months.)

  
The person who had made the noise had been Camille. She was holding up a tablet and was smiling gently at the two.

  
"I thought you might like to know your ride has arrived outside." Her smile took a mischievous turn as she showed the two the picture on the tablet. "I'm sorry but I just couldn't resist. You both looked amazing. May I have your permission to add this to our gallery on our website? It would be great for publicity."

  
Chat glanced at Marinette who nodded once. He grinned at the bubbly maitre d'. "On two conditions. Neither myself or the Princess here are mentioned by name and you send that picture to me. I want to use it for my own purposes."

  
Camille's smile widened and the two fiddled with their respective devices while Marinette turned away to gather her purse and shawl from the table.

  
Double checking that both Chat and Camille were occupied, Marinette peeked into her purse. Tikki was safe and sound napping away the night with three cookies still untouched. Marinette snapped the purse shut and smiled. She pulled the shawl around her shoulders, tugging it into place and wrapping it around her biceps to help it remain in place before turning back to the other two occupants of the room.

  
 Chat Noir finished typing the last few things on his baton and slipped it back under his jacket. He turned to Marinette, a wide grin on his lips and his green eyes bright with joy.

  
"Ready to go, Princess?" He offered his arm to her once more and together, they slipped through the corridors and back out into the night air, Marinette thanking both Camille and Léon as she passed them at the door.

  
Camille merely waved them goodnight with a bright grin and Léon raised a hand in farewell. "Have a great night!"

  
The 8:30 night air was crisp and calm as Matheo greeted them with a door open to the warm interior of the limousine and tip of his cap. "Nice dinner?" He held out a hand to assist Marinette.

  
Marinette beamed at the older gentleman as she took the offer and scooted herself into place. "It was wonderful. I feel so spoiled! I don't suppose you would give me hint as to where we are going next?"

  
Matheo laughed genially as he ushered Chat into the vehicle. "Sorry _Mademoiselle_. No spoiler." He shut the door gently with a wink.

  
Marinette turned to Chat with a pout who laughed at the look on her face. "Sorry Princess but like I said, tonight is going to be full of surprises." He pulled out the baton and showed Marinette the photo he had gotten from Camille as the limo pulled away from the curb smoothly and continued on towards the next part of the night Chat had planned for the duo.

  
Marinette and Chat were face to face with most of Marinette's back angled towards the camera and his hand pressed between her shoulder blades. The frozen momentum of the dance showed with Marinette's skirt flaring and Chat's other hand closed around Marinette's own. What most drew the eye was not the quirk of Marinette's red lips nor the teasing grin on Chat's but the way the two held eye contact. It spoke of trust, gratitude and friendship in a moment forever more frozen in time in the digital world. _'Dinner and a dance with one of the most beautiful girls in #Paris. Photo was taken by the amazing Camille of #LeCourtier. Thank you to Camille, Léon and Hugo for providing such wonderful service tonight! #BonAnniversairePrincess #YouWishYouLookedThisGood #Dance'_

  
"It looks great!" Marinette grinned at her partner as she settled into the warmth around her.

  
"We are going to be the envy of all Paris by the end of the night" Chat tucked his baton away once more and relaxed back into the leather seat.

  
"Oh really?" Marinette took on a sly look, glancing out of the corner of her eye.

  
Chat's countenance was smug. "Oh yes. You are never going to guess where we are going next but I have a _feline_ you will enjoy it!"

  
Marinette blinked then groaned. "Nope. Let me out. I refuse to hang out with you if your puns are going to be that bad."

  
Chat let out a snicker. "Aw come on Princess!"

  
The duo playfully bickered for twenty minutes about puns as a form of legitimate humour before the Limo pulled to a stop and Matheo opened the door.

  
"We have arrived. I hope you both enjoy the remainder of your night! It was my pleasure to meet both of you and to have been your driver for this evening." The words were open and honest.

  
Marinette cocked an eyebrow at Chat who explained that this was the last stop that required the limo so Matheo was now leaving. Marinette slipped out of the vehicle and held out a hand to the amiable driver.

  
"Thank you for driving us. It was wonderful to meet you as well." Marinette hesitated for a beat. "Could I grab a photo with you?

  
Matheo's mouth dropped open and he blinked before he smiled wider than he had all night. "It would be my absolute pleasure, _Mademoiselle_!"

  
Three attempts later,  it was agreed that the photo of Marinette and Matheo, who had an arm gently around her shoulders, standing in front of the limo would be the one posted. Both subjects had wide smiles _. 'Hey, #Paris! Meet Matheo! He was our driver from #SansnomTransporteurs for the evening and he did a great job! Big thanks from myself and the Princess, Matheo! #BonAnniversairePrincess #MatheoWasPawsome #MerciMatheo'_

  
Marinette waved off Matheo and the limo before turning to look at the building Chat had brought them to. She turned, eyebrows raised, as she finally noted the faint sound of music coming from within the small rustic looking area.

  
"A Karaoke club?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did anyone catch my little easter egg?


	3. Interlude - Rock This Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An Interlude in which we see how the party is going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I give up on scheduling. It'll update when it updates. I hate uni.

Alya fiddled with the strap of her burnt orange purse as the final course of the complimentary dinner of Chloé's 'End of Year Party' was served. Something was niggling at the back of her head as the dessert was placed in front of her but she just couldn't pin down the thought. Alya chewed on her lip and dropped the purse back onto the table.  
  


Next to her, Nino sighed in his own seat, clearly bored out of his mind. The party had started at six pm with speeches given by both Chloé and her father, both of whom managed to take up 40 minutes of the party between them. Shorter speeches were given by Monsieur Damocles and a few other teachers about how well everyone had done during the school year. It seemed as if the whole school and then some had rocked up for this party. Several high profile people including Jagged Stone were seated near Chloé. The only ones who seemed to be missing were Adrien and Marinette.  
  


Nino had gotten a text from Adrien stating he wasn't feeling too good so Nathalie had confined him to his room to get some rest. Nino had texted back with promises of photos and smuggled pieces of dessert for him at school the next morning.  
  


Marinette, on the other hand, was suspiciously silent. Alya hadn't had a single text from the girl all afternoon. Due to the party and Chloé pulling strings, the school had only been a half day so as to prepare for the event. The usual Saturday half-day of school would happen but since it would be the last day of school, the most anyone would be doing would be cleaning out the classrooms and playing board games.

  
Alya huffed and picked at the fruit tart that had been placed in front of her. Neither Ladybug or Chat Noir had shown up since the party began three hours before hand and the lack of Marinette was wearing on her. While Nino was great company, the whole party didn't feel right without her expressive best friend beside her.

  
"Yo, Alya. You ok?"

  
Alya glanced over at the DJ. Missing his usual attire, Nino was dressed in a dark navy button up shirt with a slim black tie and black pants. His black jacket was draped over the back of the dining seat. His usual cap and headphones were nowhere to be seen and his shoes were dark dress shoes. She had been pleasantly stunned when Nino had shown up in the suit but she was not about to tell him that.

  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just worried about Marinette. She hasn't replied to any of my texts." Thought it was strange she hadn't replied, Alya assumed that Marinette had gotten caught up celebrating with her parents.

  
Like her friend next to her, Alya had spruced herself up for the event. Her dress was a deep sunset orange colour that made her hazel eyes pop. The material crisscrossed over chest and tied neatly behind her neck in a halter neck fashion. It then wrapped itself around her waist, drawing emphasis on her curves. The bottom of the dress draped loosely in an asymmetrical skirt with one side stopping at the knees and the other at mid-calf. Her tiger patterned high heeled pumps added some flair to the outfit along with the gold bangles on her wrist. Curled hair and gold eye shadow added the final touches.

  
"What do you mean, she hasn't replied? I thought she would have come for tonight."

  
The soft voice of Rose broke through Alya's worry. The bubbly girl, along with Juleka and Nathanael, were the other table occupants and all three had similar concerned faces.

  
Nathanael was dressed simply in a dark red button up shirt with a dark grey over jacket and matching trousers, all finely pressed and clean. His shoes were black and shiny. His hair was brushed back, leaving a few strands to hover in front of his face.

  
Dressed in a high-collared black dress, Juleka looked beautiful. The sleeveless under dress was plain black, hugging Juleka's torso before flaring out at the waist slightly and ending at the knees. Over the top was an intricate black lace that created a wonderful pattern of leaves and vines down Juleka's arms and over the back of her hands. Lace danced over the underdress and ended an inch below it. Her shoes were 3 inch black high heels. Her makeup was dark and smoky around her eyes, making them pop brilliantly and pale pink lipstick painted her lips. While her hair was loose as usual, she had pinned back her side bangs.

  
In contrast to the stunning dark of Juleka's outfit, Rose was dressed in two different shades of pink. Her dress was completely sleeveless with a square neckline. The torso was cotton candy pink but stopped at the waist with a wide deep pink belt of silk that tied into a neat bow at the back. The skirt poofed out in a shade of cotton candy pink tulle to just below her knees while the underskirt was the same shade of pink as the belt. Rose's makeup was natural and clean while Juleka had brought a crown of pale pink roses to perch in the vibrant blonde's hair.

  
Alya sighed and shook her head. "Nah. It's her birthday so she decided to skip."

  
"Wait, today was her birthday?!" Rose squeaked out. Nino and Nathanael shared horrified looks. It was clear that they hadn't realised.

  
Alya nodded. "Yeah. She wanted to have a party today but well, Chloè happened so she cancelled it. Instead, she decided to stay home and celebrate with her parents."

  
Three of her table mates nodded though all had guilty looks at having forgotten one of the kindest girls in class' birthday.

  
"That can't be right." Everyone turned to Juleka who was frowning deeply at the news. She looked up with her eyes wide as she realised what she was about to divulge. "I saw her parents helping with the desserts not twenty minutes ago when I went to the bathroom!"

  
Alya's jaw dropped.

_  
'She wouldn't... Hold up. This is Marinette. Of course, she would!'_

  
"Where did you see them?!" Alya stood and raced away in the direction Juleka pointed. Dodging several waiters and a few different schoolmates, Alya came to the area where most of the desserts were being dished out under the direction of Sabine and Tom Dupain-Cheng.

  
"Tom! Sabine!"

  
The look of shock on both faces would have been humorous in any other situation but Alya was far more worried about her best friend. The reporter skidded to halt in front of the bakers.

  
"Alya? But I thought you and Marinette were having a sleepover because we were hired for the party!" Sabine moved out from behind the table she had been directing people and stood before Alya who was a little breathless from her mad dash. She was dressed in an off-white long-sleeved qipao that fell to her feet with red flowers decorating the seams and collar and simple red shoes. Her hair was pinned back with a simple lotus flower hair pin.

  
Dressed as professionally as his wife, Tom was in a simple white button up with black slacks with shiny black shoes. He gave a few finally orders to the waiters then joined his wife and Alya, placing a comforting hand on Sabine's shoulder.

  
Alya shook her head, curls flying. "No! Ladybug and Chat Noir were supposed to show tonight and Marinette never mentioned anything about you guys being hired so she told me to come and have fun!"

  
Sabine and Tom looked each other, worry written all over their faces and Tom pulled out a cell phone from the pocket of his slacks.

  
"Alya, I'm ringing the house phone now. Can you try her cell?" Tom dialled quickly. The skin around his eyes was tight and his moustache wobbled as he realised what had happened. Marinette, his sweet daughter, hadn't wanted to be an inconvenience. She had known this was great for the business and she obviously hadn't wanted to trouble Alya either since she loved any opportunity to get close to Ladybug.

_  
'Oh, Marinette. I wish you had told us._ ' Tom listened to the dial tone as the three of them moved back to the teen's table to retrieve her phone.

  
"I'm so sorry. I should have pushed the birthday thing harder! Or at least double checked her plans for the evening." Alya strode back to the table, her jaw tight and her eyes stinging.

  
Sabine patted Alya on the shoulder as they slipped through the diners. "I know my daughter and she probably thought she was doing you a favour. Though why she didn't come to the party is beyond me."

  
The three of them finally made it back to Alya's table where they were met with four identical anxious faces. Alya moved around to grab her purse from the table and started digging through it for her phone.

  
Tom sighed and hung up the phone. "There's no answer. It keeps going to voice mail. Alya?"

  
Alya let out a small noise of victory as she pulled out her phone. She briefly noted a number of notifications she gotten regarding Chat Noir's Official Instagram before tapping in the passcode. She'd check that out once she knew what was going on with her best friend.

  
What she had forgotten was that the Instagram account was the last thing she had been looking at before she had locked her phone.

  
"OH MY GOD! **MARINETTE**?!" Alya's stunned and disbelieving yell cause the entire room to fall silent as the diners all turned to look at the blogger who could only stand and stare at her phone, her fingers absently scrolling through the recent posts.

  
"Hey! That is so not good manners. If you want to yell, take it outside and don't bother the rest of us." Chloè's snide voice called out from where she stood next to her father and Sabrina. She was dressed in a tight yellow thigh length cocktail dress and matching heels. She threw a hand on her hip and pointed to the door to emphasise her point.

  
The maliciousness in the bully's voice snapped Alya out of her stupor and the Blogger smirked widely.

  
"Well, you might want to check Chat Noir's Instagram. It seems he ditched your bore of a party for a much better time."

  
All around the room, phones were pulled out and gasps soon followed. A low level of excited chatter rose as people showed their neighbours what the screens displayed. Numerous laughs and small 'aw' s were heard as each of the diner's flipped through the account, many leaving their own comments and messages on the pictures. Nobody paid attention to Chloè's infuriated shrieks as she saw what was posted.

  
Alya spun her phone around and allowed Tom and Sabine to see just what all the fuss was about.

  
There in full digital glory was Marinette and Chat Noir, mischievously grinning into the camera and ready to have a great night out with a hashtag standing out within the description.

_  
#BonAnniversairePrincess!_


	4. I wanna Scream and Shout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Spontaneous adoption is a valid way to make friends, Selfies are a way of life and who knew that Chat Noir made a pretty good Thomas O'Malley?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry this chapter has taken FOR-EVER to post!! I will try to get chap 5 done and beta'd before mid-Jan! Then it's possibly one more chapter then the epilogue! Depends on how chap 5 goes!
> 
> Also shout out to whoever finds my favourite John Maleny reference!

Marinette cocked an eyebrow curiously at the old building in front of her. _Muse de Chanson Karaoke Bar_ was one of Paris' best kept open secrets. While the outside looked like any other typical Haussmannian building of Paris, the inside apparently boasted of a much more modernistic look and an upbeat, friendly atmosphere.  
  
People of all races, gender and style would pull together to watch each other make fools of themselves in good cheer in a variety of different languages. Locals often ducked in. Regulars were common. Tourists usually only found the place if they were lost or had been specifically directed to the place. Marinette had never been but she heard many positive things about the club.  
  
"Chat?" She turned to her companion.  
  
Chat Noir grinned at her. "I figured after having dinner at such a posh place, you seemed more the type to relax and have a bit of fun. And maybe do something a bit crazy. I can only think of a few things crazier than karaoke. And!" Chat threw a hand in a grand gesture towards the blue door that had a wonky green outline of a microphone on it. "The back entrance also leads to the _Marchés de Lumière Des Ètoiles_."  
  
Marinette's mouth dropped open in excitement. _Marchés de Lumière Des Ètoiles_ , also known as the Starlight Markets, was another of Paris' open secrets. The markets were held in the open air but only from sunset until Midnight during the summer months. Again, Marinette had never managed to go but she had heard wonderful things about the stalls and arcade games they held.  
  
Marinette bounced lightly on her toes, grasped a cockily grinning Chat's arm and pulled him through the door. Inside, the long corridor was well-lit with deep red walls and soft carpet. The corridor led down a small set of stairs before opening up into a dim room with a huge stage immediately to the right. All over the room were small round tables, easily fitting four seats around them. A bar was set into the wall on the far-right side of the room with two bartenders easily mixing drinks between them.  
  
The front of the room was modestly filled with most of the occupants seeming to be a part of an _Enterrement de Vie de Jeune Fille_ or a Hen's Night as many middle-aged women were wearing sashes and party hats. A few other tables were filled with various people, all watching as a young white woman bounced across the stage as she sung slightly off-key to _A Little Party Never Killed_ Nobody in English. What she lacked in musical ability, she more than made up for in enthusiasm as a laughing young black woman, obviously a close friend or girlfriend, filmed her.  
  
The singer finished her song with a dramatic bow, voice cracking a little on the last note, and leapt off the stage with a laugh. She landed in front of the two. Catching sight of the duo from the corner of her eye, she turned to apologise before her jaw dropped.  
  
" **Bloody**... You are Chat Noir, aren't you?" The woman was not much shorter than Chat with long dark brown pulled into a ponytail and bright blue eyes that were wide with shock. She had a thick accent that Marinette couldn't place. It wasn't English though it was clearly her first language. While dressed in dark bootleg jeans and a deep blue sleeveless shirt, Marinette could help but admire her tattoo of a moon on her right bicep with a wave-like design going around the arm like a band.  
  
Chat cleared his throat slightly and held out a hand with a grin. "Hello. Yes, I'm Chat Noir and the lovely lady here is Princess." Marinette smiled and nodded.  
  
The woman blinked once then broke out into a large grin. " **G'day!** My name is Evie. It's a pleasure to meet you. " She shook Chat's hand then held it out to Marinette who took it. "So you are the one causing all of the fuss on Instagram. _Bon Anniversaire!_ Are you having a good night?" Evie's French was a little stilted and unsure but she gained more surety as she finished speaking.  
  
Marinette grinned wider, "Likewise and yes, I am. Thank you."  
  
"Evie? Who are you talking to... Mon Dieu! Is that...?" The woman who had been filming Evie came around the stage and stopped dead at the sight of Marinette and Chat Noir. She was taller than Evie by a full head. She had short curly black hair pushed back by a purple bandanna and gorgeous dark brown eyes that were wide like Evie's had been while her accent was definitely local Parisian. She was wearing a tight lilac square neck shirt and dark skinny jeans.  
  
Both teens looked a little awkward at the newest addition and Chat murmured to Marinette, "I didn't take this into account when I decided on this. Sorry. " She was about to respond when Evie suddenly gave a large grin, moved behind them and placed an easy hand on each of their shoulders.  
  
"Sophia! **Light of my Life!** I made new friends! This is Chat and this is Princess! We have room at our table, no?"  
  
Sophia's surprise melted into bemusement at the endearment and she shook off the last of the shock as Evie finished. "Sure, we do. I'm Sophia. _Enchanté de faire votre connaissance."_ She shook both of their hands as they relaxed under the easy countenance of both women. "And Evie?"  
  
Evie hummed in acknowledgement as they led the two back to a table close to the stage near the party of women.  
  
"Stop trying to adopt the locals."

Evie pouted dramatically as Sophia laughed and introduced the two teenagers to the curious party, shamelessly staring and eavesdropping on the newcomers.  
  
Ten minutes later, the Bride-To-Be, a plump white woman with dark blonde hair and a cheeky grin named Camille, and the Mother-Of-The-Groom, a woman in her mid-seventies with shock white hair and wicked sense of humour named Renee, got on to the stage and started singing one of Jagged Stone's latest hit singles. For such an older woman who had tried to get out of singing, claiming she had a bad back, Renee was dancing along like a professional. The rest of their party sat and laughed, nudging each other and taking photos of the duet on stage.

Nearby, Marinette giggled as she sipped her drink with her things on the table next to a large jug of water and listened to Sophia try to convince Evie she couldn't adopt the locals. Next to her, Chat Noir, who had shucked off his jacket and draped it over the back of his chair, was being completely shameless and egged Evie on.

" **But, My Moon and Stars, ...** "

"Don't you Game of Thrones me. No. You cannot adopt Chat Noir." Sophia raised a delicate eyebrow and stared down in amusement at Evie's cheeky grin.

"Aw. Please! I have already adopted half of the ...er... **Hen's Party**!"

Chat frowned in confusion at the words.

"What do you mean by that?"

Sophia turned to Chat and Marinette with a dry look. 

"How long do you think we have known Camille?"

Judging from the reactions Evie had gotten from the group, Marinette would have pegged them as long-term friends. Evie had immediately kept pouting and asked for back-up from amongst the group who had only giggled at her and one of them had told Evie that pouncing on people as they entered the door and spontaneously adopting them wasn't how you made friends. So, Chat and Marinette both shrugged.

"I'm not sure. A while?" Marinette suggested.

Sophia nodded at a snickering Evie and said in a dry voice, "Go on. Tell them exactly how long we have known that lot."

Through her giggles, Evie glanced at her phone on the table and managed to speak. 

"About two hours. " At the stunned look on Marinette and Chat, Evie collapsed into a fit of more giggles as Camille and Renee neared the end of their song.

Sophia gave Evie a bemused but loving look. "Only you could spend not even an hour in presence of a bunch of people and managed to make friends with all of them while tipsy."

Evie cleared up her giggles and looked at Sophia besottedly. "Oh, I do not know. I spent three hours completely no speech when I first meet you."

Sophia took Evie's hand and gave it a squeeze. "You mean speechless, Cherie? I know. It was cute."

Marinette internally sighed happily at the interaction. 'I want that. They are so sweet together!'

Evie nodded. "Yes, that word." Evie spent a few moments pronouncing speechless as Sophia corrected her. After a few gos and Evie was mostly pronouncing it right, Sophia turned back to Chat and Marinette who both had soft looks. 

"So since Evie has already decided to adopt you, how about some selfies?"

Marinette and Chat nodded eagerly and the four moved themselves into a comfortable position while Camille and Renee finished the song to an applause and the next couple took their place.

Chat and Sophia took several from the baton and her phone. As they checked out the pictures, Chat piped up.

"Would either of you mind if I put this up? I want to get lots of pictures tonight and I haven't taken as many as I want too yet." 

Evie grinned widely and Sophia nodded, "Sure."

A minute later, two selfies went live on The Official Chat Noir Instagram.

One had Marinette and Chat framed by Evie and Sophia. All four had wide grins. Evie and Chat had given each other 'bunny ears'. ' _Finally at #MuseDeChanson and made some new friends! Meet the wonderful Evie (left) who has adopted us for the night and the incredible Sophia (right) who doesn't believe spontaneously adopting strangers is how you make friends. #lol #BonAnniversairePrincess #AdoptingStrangersAtKaraokeIsAnEvieApprovedWayToMakeFriends #NewFriends'_

The second one had all four making funny faces at the camera. ' _A true friend is always willing to make silly faces in selfies with you and let the whole world see them. #lol #BonAnniversairePrincess #SillyFaces #NewFriends'_

Evie giggled over the first just as a hand patted Chat's shoulder. 

Camille beamed at them from in front of the table. "We've all had our goes now. The rest of us were wondering if you wanted to slip in now as the next song is open?"  
Chat gave a sly grin and turned to Marinette. "Well, how about it Princess?"

Marinette blinked at him then the stage, suddenly nervous. She had never sung in front of strangers before. Her parent and schoolmates, yes, but never in a situation like this.

Sophia, thankfully for Marinette, picked up on her sudden nerves. "Oh no, you don't, little cat. First rule of Karaoke; Solos! Then you can duet. Come on! You got a song in mind? 'Cause Evie looks like she might break something if she doesn't say what she wants to say."

Evie did, in fact, look like she was desperate to speak, tiny noises coming from her mouth that might have sounded like laughter. She grabbed Chat and pulled him halfway to the booth before stopping and facing Chat with a wide grin. She spoke a few words to Chat who suddenly grinned as wide as she was and handed over his baton, pointing to some things on the screen. He almost bounced over to the booth while Evie set herself in front of the stage. She turned briefly to Marinette and Sophia and winked as Camille sat herself back with her group.

Thirty seconds later, Chat opened his mouth and starting singing moderately better than Evie had. However, the song in question had Chat grinning madly, Evie and the rest of room laughing, Marinette burying her smile in her hands and Sophia looking slightly murderous. 

The full vocals of Tom Jones' _What's New Pussycat?_ was belted in full force by a 17-year-old boy dressed in a tight black suit with cat attributes. Several people had their phones out and Evie was taking several photos between bouts of laughter.

Chat danced along to the beat and sang, obviously giving it his all and desperately trying not laugh like Evie was. He bounced to and fro on the stage, his tail flicking happily behind him. At one point, he overdramatically pointed to the various pieces of anatomy that the song referenced to. He danced back to the front of the stage. As the song wound down, he bowed to a clapping audience and hi-fived Evie as he leapt off the stage.

The two laughed as they made their way back to the table where Marinette had given up trying to hide her smile and was clapping while Sophia had a strangely blank look on her face. 

As Chat took a seat, Sophia stared at Evie. "If the next six songs are What's New Pussycat followed by It's Not Unusual then more What's New Pussycat, you're sleeping on the couch for a week."

Evie's grin dropped and she snapped her fingers. " **Bloody... Wish I'd thought of that now!** "

Sophia's eyes narrowed. " **Don't even think about it**." She replied in English.

To prevent Evie's banishment to the couch via irate girlfriend, Marinette stood up. "Is the next set free?"

Evie nodded. "Yes."

Sophia glanced at Marinette through the corner of her eye. "Are you sure you want to sing? No one will force you."

Marinette smiled confidently. It looked like fun up there and whether he knew it or not, Chat had provoked her. She never could turn down a challenge. "I'm sure."  
Marinette took to the stage with Chat in front of it with baton ready. Marinette closed her eyes, took a deep breath as the humming vocals of woman began the song, opened them and began to sing. 

The words to Indila's _Love Story_ fell from Marinette's mouth and blew Chat away as well as most of the audience. She was easily one of the best in the room. Marinette didn't dance across the stage like most of the singers but she gently swayed to the beat. Her arms moved in time and added to her performance. Chat almost choked on his tongue when she gave a sly wink. When she had no vocals to sing, Marinette gave a quick twirl causing the green underskirt to flash in the low light. As she finished the song, Chat had only remembered to photograph Marinette a few times. 

' _This girl is going to give me a heart attack but what a way to go!'_

There was a beat of silence once Marinette stopped but that was soon overwhelmed by the collective applause and whistling from the audience. Even the two bartenders had stopped mixing drinks and gave a few quick claps. 

Marinette curtsied and clambered off the staged less gracefully than she would have liked but probably the best she could do in the heels she was in.

As Chat escorted Marinette back to their seat, she noticed Evie whistling and Sophia clapping wildly. She dropped into her seat and gratefully took the glass of water Sophia had poured for her from the jug.

"Wow, Princess. That was super! Your voice is lovely!" Evie gushed, obviously a little jealous but too tipsy to really mean it. 

Sophia pushed a glass of water into her hands too. "Drink that before you have another. You are such a lightweight, I swear."

Evie pouted in offence. "I am not a lightweight. I am Australian!"

Marinette snickered into her drink. ' _So that's what her accent is_.'

Sophia pressed a kiss on Evie's nose. "You're a lightweight Australian. Now drink." She watched as Evie grumbled but did as told and turned to the birthday girl. "She is right. You were wonderful up there. 

Marinette flushed.

The next hour seemed to fly by after that. More people went up on to the stage to sing. Some had lovely voices and lifted the whole room. Others were less musically gifted but had no less qualms about dancing all over the stage. One memorable person had their voice break in the middle of a high note and couldn't finish their song because they started laughing too hard. Between songs, more groups of people came up and asked for selfies with Chat and Marinette. 

Before it was even half-past ten, many more pictures had gone up on Chat's Instagram. 

The first couple were of Chat in various poses that Evie had taken during his song. Marinette's favourite was of Chat; arms thrown open and head tilted back with a barely restrained smile on his face. ' _Chat Noir takes to the stage! Does this Cat know what's new though? #BonAnniversairePrincess #karaoke #SophSaidI'mNotAllowedToSingItAgain #What'sNewPussycat?'_

A particularly striking one of Marinette gained hundreds of likes almost immediately. She stared straight the camera with a shy smile as she sang, one hand on the microphone and the dim light behind her added to the ethereal allure. ' _Princess dominates the stage and stuns us all! Look out Jagged Stone! You may have competition! #BonAnniversairePrincess #Karaoke #LikeWow #Seriously #Wow #LoveStory'_

A young French couple on a date named James and Clara also came for pictures with Marinette and Chat. James, who had soft brown eyes and dark hair with broad shoulders, wrapped his arm around Clara, who had a fiery red pixie cut and looked like she could bench press her taller boyfriend, while Marinette tucked herself next to Chat as Sophia photographed them. ' _Wishing a very happy birthday to Princess from James and Clara who just sang a lovely song! #BonAnniversairePrincess #karaoke #NewFriends'_

There also a second picture of Clara with Evie on her back and Marinette in a princess carry, all three of them laughing happily. _Evie asked how much Clara could easily carry. The answer: One Princess and One Evie. #BonAnniversairePrincess #DoYouEvenLiftBro? #ApparentlySheCanBenchpressJames #NewFriends #IWishIWasThisCool #SoDoYou'_

Three women who were having post-work T.G.I.F. drinks also came for a selfie with Marinette and Chat. Angeline, a white woman with sun-bleached blonde hair, bright hazel eyes, and a bright smile, crouched next to Marinette who sat in the middle of the trio. Her Hispanic friend, Sarah who had a sly grin on her tanned face as her dark eyes crinkled in the corners, stood behind the birthday girl. The final woman, an Asian woman with black hair and almost black eyes that sparkled named Minami, smiled just as brightly from the other side of Marinette. Chat was in the corner, standing a bit away to get them all in. ' _T.G.I.F Karaoke and Celebrations with Princess, Angeline (right), Sarah (middle) and Minami (left)! #BonAnniversairePrincess #NewFriends #TGIF #Karoke #WhoKnewYouCouldMeetSuchLovelyPeopleAtKaraoke?'_

There were also a few candid shots that Marinette had taken after swiping Chat's baton for ten minutes. Two, in particular, gained so many hits that one became a meme while the other became the profile picture for many Chat Noir fans.

The first was of Chat Noir, Hero of Paris, Wielder of Bad Luck, Holder of The Black Cat Miraculous, pouting. His bottom lip was stuck out comically and his arms were crossed dramatically. His eyes were bright and widened playfully at the amused Sophia who was just out of the frame. ' _Oh, Chat. Pouting like that won't make her change her mind about Sailor Moon. #PrincessInControl #BonAnniversairePrincess #PoutyCat #Karaoke #WhoKnewChatNoirWasAnAnimeFan? #SailorMoonFan #ThePoutyChatFace'_

The other picture had Chat leaning back on two legs in his seat with an eyebrow raised straight at the camera. He had finally noticed Marinette with his baton and had given her an amused smirk. His arms were casually over his green shirt and his legs were kicked up onto the chair in front of his. ' _Finally realised I have his Baton and just had to pose for the camera. #PrincessInControl #YouAreNotAsCoolAsYouThinkYouAre! #BonAnniversairePrincess #ModelWorthy #Karaoke'_

At some point, Evie had spotted Marinette with the baton and had propped her chin on Marinette's shoulder. Both of them smiled brightly at the camera, cheek to cheek. _'Another selfie with Evie! #PrincessInControl #BonAnniversairePrincess #Selfie #karaoke #NewFriends'_

Marinette also got one with Sophia who sat behind Marinette and raised her glass to the camera. ' _A drink in honour of the Princess! - Sophia #PrincessInControl #BonAnniversairePrincess #Karaoke #Selfie #NewFriends'_

The final selfie Marinette got was with Camille, Renee and a woman who look like a younger version of Renee only with dusty brown hair named Annette that worked as a textile technician for Gabriel. Annette was happy to talk about textiles and how to use them in different ways and gave Marinette some wonderful new ideas for her to try at a later date. The four women crowded around the camera and smiled. ' _Best wishes to Camille (middle left) who is getting married next week! I hope you have a wonderful day! Thank you to Annette (right) for the advice! And nobody can dance like Renee (far left) can! #PrincessInControl #BonAnniversairePrincess #Karaoke #selfie #HopeItAllGoesWell #SmallWorld_  '

"Having fun, Princess?" A cheeky voice purred into her ear.

Marinette startled and turned her blushing face towards Chat. She handed the baton back to the grinning superhero. "Yes, I'm really enjoying myself."

Chat gave Marinette a soft look. "Good."

The moment was interrupted by Evie who once again looked as if Christmas had come early. 

"I checked with the guys behind the booth and you will never guess which song I found that you absolutely have to sing Chat Noir." The young woman was practically vibrating with glee.

Chat grinned. "What?"

" _Thomas O'Malley_ from _T_ _he Artistocats._ They have all the songs from the film."

Chat's own face nearly split in two with the wide grin which swiftly turned mischievous. "Sure, but I want _Everybody wants to be a Cat_ afterwards."

Sophia looked slightly alarmed at the loud cackle Evie let out.

Ten minutes later, Chat was once again on the stage, this time with an amused Marinette up next to him. There had been a slight debate whether or not the English or the French version should be sung but the French version won out as Chat claimed it was more authentic.

Evie was below them, recording the whole song as Chat serenaded Marinette causing her to giggle uncontrollably especially when Chat somehow produced a flower and presented it to her. She played along during the song when the Duchess spoke.

"Why, _monsieur,_ your name seems to cover all of Europe!"

Chat had beamed widely. 

"Well of course. I'm the only cat of my kind."

Once the song was over, Chat had taken the baton back and posted it quickly.

' _The one and Only Chat Noir sings the song that every tomcat must know! #BonAnniversairePrincess #ThomasO'Malley #IHaveAlwaysWantedToSingThis #PrincessMadeAGoodDuchess #Karaoke #Video'_

Once they were done and the next song was set up, Evie almost vaulted onto the stage and started gesturing to Sophia to come up too. While the bemused woman shook her head in denial, Evie looked as if she might drag her poor girlfriend onto the stage with them. 

Eventually, Sophia was filming, Chat sang Thomas O'Malley, Evie sang Scat Cat's part and Marinette was once again Duchess. They had gotten Camille back onto the stage to sing Marie's parts instead. 

Evie and Chat bounced around the stage, absolutely loving every second and deciding to forego any attempt at staying in key, replacing it with sheer enthusiasm. Both attempted to re-enact the dance performed in the movie but they both failed miserably thanks to how hard they were both giggling between breaths. Marinette and Camille nearly missed their own cues as they were laughing too hard.

As the song wound up to the final bars, the whole room was singing along to the lyrics. Even the two bar attendees got into it. 

By the time the song finished, more than a few people were dancing around and Sophia had nearly dropped the baton several times from her own laughter. 

The four singers took a sweeping bow to the pleasure of the room who burst into applause.

Sophia barely had enough time to pass the baton back to Chat before Evie collapsed into her arms. Patting her head lightly, she murmured into the exhausted woman's hair. "I think it is time to go home, love."

"No," Evie whined into her chest, but Sophia led all of the singers back to their table.

"Yes. It's nearly quarter to eleven and we have a long day tomorrow. We were only supposed to here until 10." Sophia grabbed a glass of water and passed it to her pouting girlfriend.

Evie poked her tongue out at her but sipped on the water. "I suppose you are right."

Chat picked his jacket up. "We should be heading out too if we want to spend a decent amount of time at the markets."

Sophia glanced at Chat Noir and Marinette who were gathering their things. " _Marchés de Lumière Des Ètoiles_? Good choice. If you head out the back then swing right, I know some of the better markets will still have some good wears still available. I hope you have a good time." She said with a bright smile. 

There was a slight flurry of movement as three final things were posted to the account.

The first was the song, captioned: ' _Only the best way to end a good karaoke session. Thanks to Camille for being our Marie and to Sophia for filming. #BonAnniversairePrincess #EverybodyWantsToBeACat #Karaoke #YouWishYouLookedThisGood #NailedIt'_

The second was Chat and Marinette standing on the stage, back to the audience and smiling into the camera with most of the audience crowding into the background. ' _Thanks for the Pawsome Time guys! Big Thanks to #MuseDeChanson for the brilliant service and the fabulous entertainment! #BonAnniversairePrincess #Karaoke #ShouldTotallyComeBackSomeTime'_

The final pic was Evie, Sophia, Marinette and Chat Noir standing at the back entrance, lit by fairy lights around them. _'It was absolutely Miraculous to meet Sophia and Evie who provided us with such entertainment tonight. We will miss you! #BonAnniversairePrincess #Remember #AdoptingStrangersAtKaraokeIsAnEvieApprovedWayToMakeFriends #NewFriends #OntoTheNextAdventure!'_

With a few final goodbyes and hugs, Chat and Marinette stepped out into the cool night air and turned right. 

Lights scattered all around, most of them fairy lights, over the simple tent market stalls. The crowd was thick enough to have a flow but sparse enough that people could move freely. It was beautiful in its simplicity. The atmosphere lent an almost magical air to the whole dead-end street.

"It's amazing." Whispered Marinette, her jaw dropping and her eyes trying to take in about a dozen things at once. 

Chat beamed at her. "Then, let's go."

**Author's Note:**

> Lǎolao is one of the Chinese names for [Maternal] Grandmother.


End file.
